Loudspeaker arrangement



y 1959 c. WYLEZlK 2,888,090

LOUDSPEAKER ARRANGEMENT Filed May 23, 1955 INVENTOR PATENT AGENT United States Patent LOUDSPEAKER ARRANGEMENT Curt Wylezik, Martinez, Buenos Aires, Argentina, assignor to Telefunken G.m.b.H., Berlin, Germany Application May 23, 1955, Serial No. 510,259 In Germany October 14, 1949 Public Law 619, August 23, 1954 Patent expires October 14, 1969 3 Claims. (Cl. 181-31) If a large area had to be reached by sound, either a plurality of individual loudspeakers has been distributed over said area or a very powerful single loudspeaker has been employed. Furthermore, it has already been proposed to use an assembly of several loudspeakers systems arranged one above the other to emit the sound over a large area. The present invention relates to such assembly of a group or series of loudspeakers which has been introduced into practice under the name sound column.

It is an object of this invention to provide a plurality of loudspeakers on a longitudinal substantially vertical sound reflecting wall within a substantially cylindrical casing having openings for the sound and to mount said casing on a column or pedestal.

It is a further object of the invention to provide the substantially cylindrical casing with a somewhat larger diameter at the top than at the base, i.e. to give this casing the shape of an inverted frusto-cone.

It is another object of the present invention to arrange or mount the sound reflecting wall supporting the loudspeakers in the casing at a slight slant with respect to the vertical to improve the sound action on the surface to be reached by this loudspeaker assembly. Such positioning of the loudspeakers in combination with the proper dimensioning of the height of the pedestal results in the best possible sound emission, the speakers being preferably positioned at a height slightly above the heads of the listeners.

It is another and important object of the invention to provide openings through the casing for the sound on opposite sides of the member mounting the loudspeakers. As a result of this the sound is emitted from both sides of the new sound column.

The openings 3 for the sound extend substantially the full height of the casing 1 and are preferably covered with screen material of suitable mechanical strength. The screen surfaces may be reinforced by strips of metal or other material secured thereto. These metal strips have to be provided at such distances from one another that the sound is emitted from the device without being noticeably disturbed by the reinforcing strips. The appearance of the whole device may be enhanced by these metal strips, as they provide ornamentation on the sound column.

Further important objects and advantageous features of the invention will become apparent from the accompanying drawing forming part of this disclosure, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the new device.

Fig. 2 shows the new device, with the upper portion in section and the lower portion or pedestal in side elevation.

In Fig. 1, 1 denotes a substantially cylindrical casing for the loudspeaker assembly. This casing 1 is mounted on a column or pedestal, 2 having a foot or base mem her 7 enlarging toward the bottom.

As shown in Fig. 2, a number of loudspeakers 5 one above the other are secured with their axes in mutually parallel relation to a common longitudinal and narrow plate, board or sound reflecting support member 4 which is of a width not greatly exceeding the diameter of the loudspeakers 5 and mounted in the casing 1 slightly inclined with respect to the vertical.

The open front side 3 of the casing 1, shown in Fig. l, is covered with wire screen suitably reinforced by metal strips or rods 8.

A conical cap or roof cover 6 mounted on the casing 1 provides protection against direct exposure of the loudspeakers to rain or snow. This cap or roof may be provided with means (not shown) to divert rainwater pouring thereon.

While in the appended drawing only one preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown, it will be understood that the construction thereof and the arrangement of the parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention to be determined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A columnar loudspeaker arrangement including a plurality of individual loudspeakers assembled on a common support, comprising a sound reflecting member supporting said plurality of loudspeakers aligned one above the other in upright position and said sound reflecting member being of narrow width not greatly exceeding the diameters of said loudspeakers, a substantially cylindrical casing surrounding said sound reflecting member with said loudspeakers and being of suflicient height to house the latter, said casing having sound openings through segments of the casing extending substantially the full height thereof.

2. In an arrangement as set forth in claim 1, said sound reflecting member comprising a board to which said loudspeakers are attached with their axes in mutually parallel relation, said board being inclined at a slight angle with respect to the vertical to direct said axes downwardly, and a pedestal to support said casing in elevated position.

3. In an arrangement as set forth in claim 1, said sound reflecting member comprising an upright board within said casing, longitudinally dividing it into two portions, and said openings passing through opposite sides of the casing with respect to said board.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,866,831 Wolfl et al July 12, 1932 2,020,166 Swinyard Nov. 5, 1935 2,03 8,253 Wheeler et al. Apr. 21, 1936 2,065,751 Scheldorf Dec. 29, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 492,098 Great Britain Sept. 12, 1938 272,869 Switzerland Apr. 16, 1951 143,597 Australia Sept. 27, 1951 

